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Panzer Elite
Panzer Elite is an Axis force featured in Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts. Game Info The Panzer Elite draw their inspiration from the mish-mash of German units that opposed Operation Market Garden, including the 2nd SS Panzer Corps and Luftwaffe paratroopers. The single player campaign for this faction focuses on this battle. The German Panzer Elite division named Kampfgruppe Lehr is based on Panzer Lehr Division and other Kampfgruppe Divisions that participated during Operation Market Garden. Kampfgruppe (German military term) refers to an ad-hoc combined arms formation, usually employing a combination of tanks, infantry, anti-tank weapons and artillery components. Such a formation is generally organized for a particular task or operation, explaining why Kampfgruppe Lehr is thus named in the game and the resulting army's focus on vehicles units supplemented by infantry and artillery. Apart from that, their veterancy is not crack or upgraded but obtained through combat action, similarly to their American enemies. Their veterancy also either gives them the offensive abilities (increased rate of fire and firepower) and defensive abilities (increased speed and survivability). The Panzer Elite mainly focuses on speed and vehicles. They cannot build static defenses apart from a few doctrine-specific heavy weapons. Instead, they rely on the use of halftracks and similar light vehicles to hold territory and increase resource income. Unlike other players' halftracks, Panzer Grenadiers can fire heavy weapons, such as Panzerschrecks, MP44 assault rifles, and mortars from inside the vehicle. However, since the Panzer Elite halftrack doesn't have a closed top the infantry inside are vulnerable to enemy fire. Panzer Grenadiers are also unique for being able to upgrade to use Gewehr 43 semi-automatic rifles, MP44 assault rifles, or Panzerschreck anti-tank weapons. Since there are no form of engineers in the Panzer Elite, all Panzer Grenadiers are capable of repairing vehicles, albeit at a slower rate than other armies engineers. Panzer Elite also utilizes tanks, tank destroyers, and other armored vehicles, including the Marder III, Panzer IV Infantry Support Tank, Panther, Hetzer, and the powerful Jagdpanther. Most of these vehicles are fast and carry massive firepower, enabling them to crash through the enemy front-line using speed and shock that is the usual trademark of German Blitzkrieg doctrine. One unique feature of the Panzer Elite's armored vehicles is the ability to lock-down certain vehicles, similar to the British hull-down ability, making them immobile in trade for additional vehicle-specific capabilities; the lock-down abilities allow them to fully utilize the main gun, increase their rate of fire, increase range of sight, or even camouflage themselves to allow for additional first-strike damage. They also have access to the only in-game German self-propelled artillery, the Hummel, and elite Luftwaffe infantry such as the Luftwaffe Ground Force and the elite Fallschirmjagers, the Luftwaffe Paratroopers. Tactics Panzer Elite consist of three tactics similar to the Company Commander, they are: Scorched Earth Tactics * This tactic denies the enemy by restricting their movement, logistics, and base of operations. Booby traps can be placed in buildings & Strategic points to slow enemy resource gathering and bottlenecking. Roadblocks can only be destroyed by direct fire. Strategic points can be denied by scorching it. This tactic also gives access to the powerful Hummel self-propelled artillery howitzer. Luftwaffe Tactics * This tactic utilizes the famous Luftwaffe forces, including infantry such as the Luftwaffe Ground Force and Fallschirmjager, and the one of the well known self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, the Wirbelwind Flakpanzer. The 88mm Flak 36 can only be constructed through this tactic, and the Henshel Hs 129 can be called upon to crack the enemy's armored vehicles. Tank Destroyer Tactics * This tactic focuses on destroying the enemy's armoured vehicles. This tactic allows the Axis Commander to use Teller Mines and increases the firepower of the Panther and other main battle tanks with Armor Piercing Rounds. Infantry sections toting the already potent Panzerschreck are given an additional one, allowing for a doubled anti-tank potential. This tactic also allows the Axis Commander to call in Hetzers and the mighty Jagdpanther tank destroyer. Category:Axis Category:Armies Category:Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts